Stroke Archive

Many men consider taking a daily low-dose aspirin to reduce the chance of having a heart attack or stroke. You should do so only if the chance of being helped outweighs the chance of triggering unwanted bleeding, since aspirin interferes with normal clotting. But about one in 10 men who take protective aspirin may not really qualify, according to a national study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Experts recommend that aspirin might be considered in someone whose chance of experiencing a cardiovascular problem is at least 6% in the next 10 years. At that tipping point, the chance of being helped is great enough to justify the risk of unwanted bleeding.

Job strain—defined as having a demanding job in which you have little control—may slightly increase the risk of a stroke. The findings, in the February 2015 Stroke, echo earlier results that show a similar link between heart disease and job strain.

Researchers gleaned the results from 14 different studies that included more than 190,000 men and women from six European countries. Their average age was 42, and the follow-up lasted just over nine years, on average. Job strain was associated with a roughly 20% higher risk of ischemic stroke (the type that occurs when a clot blocks a blood vessel supplying the brain).

Exercise, eat a healthy diet, and manage blood pressure and cholesterol to lower your odds.

Q. I just discovered that I have a hole in my heart that my doctor called a patent foramen ovale, which was found during an ultrasound. What are the pros and cons of having it repaired?

A. All people start off with an oval, flap-like opening (called a foramen ovale) between the right and left upper chambers of their hearts. This small hole usually closes during infancy. But in about one in four people, it stays open and is known as a patent foramen ovale (PFO). Most people with the condition have no symptoms and never know they have it unless it's discovered by accident, as happened to you.

Well-educated people who report memory problems may face a higher risk of stroke.

Minor memory slips—such as losing your keys or forgetting an acquaintance's name—are common as we age. However, people who express concern about their memory may have a heightened risk of stroke, particularly if they're highly educated, according to a study in the January 2015 Stroke.